Geekin' out on Bikes!!

So I emailed Epic Bikes last night to ask about the Bianchi that I posted yesterday and they don't have it in my size...but I'm not sad! Here's why:

Since then I've exchanged probably 5 emails with Tim, the shop owner, and he is so awesome! Well..he could be a total idiot and I wouldn't know it...but he's super nice and super helpful. After our email volley, Time shot me an email with the shop's phone number and asked that I give him a call. We spoke on the phone for about 20 minutes...it sounded like a bike geek's love affair!! We chatted about the difference in bike measurements and why some companies call a bike a 50 cm when it's really not, we talked about the bike fit process, the mix of components available on different bikes - Jamis vs. Specialized and on and on. I really enjoyed talking to him and he told me about a women's group that has started riding on Thursday evenings at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which is really close to me!! So the bike bug is nibbling a little harder and I'm really Jonesin' (is that how you'd spell that?) for a bike. I plan to stop by Epic and let them give me their take on what size I'd ride, etc. Guess what I liked the best? Two things: 1) They are technically still a Jamis dealer and said they'd be happy to order me a Jamis if I decide it's still what I want...and....2) He spoke about the importance of fitting someone on a bike for comfort and not just for the "component group". His theory (and I bet it's pretty accurate) is that the most important aspect of fitting someone for a bike is to fit them for what fits their price range and make sure they are comfortable instead of trying to fit them on something they can't afford or don't understand. Then, if they find they love cycling, they can sell their "first bike" and save up for that "dream bike". This is in contrast to the last opinion I got which says you should buy a bike for the rider you will be after a year of riding. I get the validity of both...but how in the heck do I know what kind of rider I'll be next year???? Soooooo.... I'm checking my calendar to determine when I can make a trip up to Epic. I like this guy and I really feel like he'll be happy to fit me for a bike that is good for me - regardless of components, price, or "brand".

Oh...and by the way....here are the prospective women's bikes by Specialized that I plan to look at:

Above is the black and pink version (the pink is hard to see but there is two places where there is a little grouping of pink flower looking designs - and a stripe too...I think Dolce is written on the top tube in pink too. Here is someone's homemade shot w/ pink bottle holders - you can see the little pink flower thingies. It's not too girlie is it...?


Okay, so that isn't a great pic but it gives you the right idea....and here is the same bike in yellow and white:


Oh...I forgot the best part....this bike is $300.00 cheaper than the Jamis I looked at!!! Technically, the bike doesn't have as great of components although the ones it has are still considered to be really good Shimano components. It has a mix of the same components that are on the Jamis and components that are slightly "below" those on the Jamis. But all in all...I think it's worth a shot. Thoughts/Comments?